Gas turbine engines have zones such as turbine sections which provide an elevated temperature working environment during engine operation. Engine components located in such an elevated working environment experience dramatic temperature changes between engine operation and non-operation conditions, resulting in thermal expansion and/or contraction. Due to different thermal expansion/contraction characteristics of engine components connected one to another, thermal expansion joints are widely used to allow thermal expansion/contraction of the connected components independently one from another in order to minimize thermal stress in the engine structures. Thermal expansion joints of various types are used in gas turbine engines. However, conventional thermal expansion joints have some shortcomings. For example, restoration of contact faces of conventional thermal joints where fretting and wear marks are observed, is not convenient.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide an improved thermal expansion joint for gas turbine engines.